The Four Seasons of Creativity
Re-connect with the cycles of nature, and with yourself - and then share!
This week my pencil-drawn mandala has been on my desk along with a black fine-point Sharpie, colored markers, and a gold pen. Now it looks like this.
When I drew these circles, I was opening my arms and my mind to the first warm days of spring after a brutal winter. The design moves outward from the center, from seeds to stars, from growth to peaceful rest, then back to the center. And then it all begins again.
“A Day in Spring” reminds me of the rhythm of the seasons, which has been compared to our own creative cycles.
Winter, it has been said,
is a time to wind down and gather inspiration - a time for journaling, daydreaming, observing and discovering new ideas … stepping away, letting go of expectations and recharging creative energy.
Most of all, though, the whole winter long, you must keep believing in spring!
Spring in the creative process,
is the time for new life, for curiosity, experiments and playfulness. Enjoy and focus on the process, not on your output. Learn without judgment. Trust your personal expression, and ideas will begin to take shape intuitively.
Summer is the time when clarity emerges.
When you are present with what you are doing, you sense what to do next. You do not need to think about which color, shape or texture to use, but one intuitively stands out for you to use.
Even if the piece you make is not what you want, what matters is the process. Enjoy the experience, knowing that it contributes to realizing your next idea.
Autumn is the season for letting go.
Don’t become attached to your creations or to what others say about them. Share what you’ve made. Letting go ensures we’re constantly creative, rather than stifled. The more we create, the better we get.
Just this week, a friend told me about a mandala she once made with natural materials like pinecones, leaves and stones. “It was only as big as this,” she said, making a circle with her open arms, “and it probably wasn’t made the correct way.”
But as she spoke, she seemed to be back in the moment, telling me how much she enjoyed taking her time, gathering the things that caught her eye, and then arranging them in a circle in a pleasing way.
She spoke of the peace of mind she felt, and which she still finds today by focusing on making something, whether with things or with words. During these stressful times, she said, the process of creating calms the “chatter” in her mind. I treasure this gift she gave me that day, of herself.
Sharing what you create with love doesn’t only have to happen in the autumn.
thanks for sharing your beautiful gifts!
Lovely, Deda! Thank you!